Southern Cross Drive Reserve

Southern Cross Drive Reserve is a long, narrow grassy strip running alongside the motorway between Gardeners Road and Epsom Road in Rosebery. It is a City of Sydney 24/7 off leash reserve, and its shape makes it a straight-line running and fetch spot rather than a milling social park.

The dog setup

Off leash is permitted at all hours across the reserve, with the standard City of Sydney conditions: stay in the park, keep your dog in sight and under effective voice control, carry a lead at all times, and leash up immediately if your dog gets unruly. A high safety fence runs along the Southern Cross Drive motorway side, but the local street side is open, so this is not an enclosed park and reliable recall is essential. Pick up after your dog and bin it, bringing your own bags since they are not always stocked.

Worth knowing

The strip is basic: mature trees shade some bench seating, and there are waste bins on site. There is no lighting, so treat it as a daytime park, and no dog water, so carry your own bowl. The narrow shape means dogs converge near the entry points, so walk its length to find space away from the gateways.

Getting there and parking

The reserve runs off Gardeners Road at Rosebery, in Sydney's inner south. Street parking works best on the local streets, with Dalmeny Avenue a reliable bet. Buses run along Gardeners Road, and Green Square station is within walking distance.

Close by with the dogs

Sweetacres Park nearby is another all hours off leash option with a playground and BBQs, and if your dog needs a fully secure run, the Beaconsfield Fenced Dog Park is a short drive north. For coffee after the run, Two Fives Cafe is in the neighbourhood, and the Cannery precinct a short walk away has dog friendly outdoor tables.

Max: One side is fenced off from a motorway, the other is not. Do not let the fenced edge lull you. Work the middle of the strip and keep a dog with shaky recall on a long line.

Early mornings and the 5pm to 7pm stretch are the busy windows; mid morning on a weekday buys a quieter run. Best for dogs with solid recall that want a sprint lane, not a fenced romp.